Stairway To Heaven
by Writes4All
Summary: Eclare and friends on a summer long road trip beofre Eli goes off to college. Adventure, romance, and lots of drama! This is what dreams are made of.   Warning! Some MINOR canon issues because this story was abandoned for six months, but nothing extreme.
1. And They're Off!

**Hey, ya'll! So, previously, I've pretty much stuck to the canon storyline in my fanfiction, or I've just woven my original stuff in between scenes. NO MORE! **

_Flashback_

_ "Swarthmore, Northwestern, UCLA…" Clare flipped through the stacks of official looking papers. "All these schools mailed you early admission applications?"_

_ Eli looked smug. "I'm a hot commodity; nobody can resist this charm."_

_ She still looked doubtful. "How in… how on Earth did a skipper/slacker like you get this sort of attention from all these prestigious American schools? You've even gotten the Ivy League's attention." She pulled up a viewbook from Columbia as proof. "I mean, really?"_

_ He smirked as scooted closer to her. "Are you trying to insinuate that I'm not smart enough for these guys?"_

_ "No!" She said hastily, and looked down, embarrassed. "I'm just envious, I guess."_

_ He chuckled, and ruffled her curly auburn hair. "Don't worry, Blue Eyes. Your time will come."_

_ She bit her lip. "And when it does, you'll be far, far away at some high-ranking schools, angering professors, and being fawned over by American girls who think you look like what's-his-name from that TV show."_

_ He pulled another packet out. "Or I could be at the University of Toronto. And really Clare, I can't believe you'd think I'd just leave and forget about you."_

_ "It's just…." She glanced at his transcript and score reports. "I want to follow, but I'm not sure I can."_

_ "Please. You're a freaking Super Genius." He rolled his eyes._

_ "So everybody says! But you're the one who has award-winning poems and an almost perfect SAT score! If you remember correctly, you're the best writer in the school; I'm just the one that gets the attention."_

_ He placed his forehead on top of hers. "And that's the way I like it." Then, pulling away, he looked at her seriously. "You know, I think before we have to separate, we're going to take America by storm."_

_ "Huh?"_

_ He gestured to the pile. "If all these places want me, they'll surely do the same for you. And most are pretty far away. When I move down, you could look at some of the others en route."_

_ She wrinkled her nose. "You mean a college search?"_

_ "Why not? It'd just be an excuse to take a road trip together before I leave. Heck, Adam's a junior too; we can even take him so your mom feels better about it. And like… Alli. Maybe Sav could go as a chaperone."_

_ She bit her lip. "You know, I'd think that'd actually work."_

And here they were, half a year later, loading up into the rented car: a battered van with crazy gas mileage and an utterly unremarkable white paint job. Everything was packed, and all systems should have been go, but the parents were being difficult.

"Watch them like a hawk." Mrs. Bhandari warned Sav. "And you've better be a good influence. Screw up, and you can kiss financial support goodbye."

Sav sighed. He hadn't even really wanted to go, but after finding out that the van was scheduled to go to both LA and New England, he couldn't refuse. Seeing all his old friends was too good of an opportunity to turn down, even if it meant he had to babysit his little sister for almost the whole summer. That, and because he was getting paid _just _the right amount of money to buy that stereo system he wanted for his dorm room.

Mrs. Torres just glared at the Bhandaris, and wished she hadn't come. There was still bad feeling between them from when she'd called Alli a whore, and she'd been loathe to let her precious d… _son_ go on a trip with this bunch of misfits. But he'd begged and begged, and her husband had finally said yes against her will.

Finally, the surprisingly normal, cookie cutter mold lawyer that was Eli's father cleared his throat. "Shall we let them go?"

Mrs. Edwards sighed. "I suppose so." She pulled Clare into a hug, "Be good. Be careful. And call me every night."

Clare raised an eyebrow amidst the other, murmured goodbyes., "Mom?"

"Every other night, then. And be sure to visit Grandma."

"I will."

"And don't… we… you know. Eli's a good boy, and his parents are wonderful, but I still-"

"It's not happening, Mom. Don't worry about it." Clare tried to smile reassuringly. This was not a conversation she wanted to have.

"Okay, okay, I trust you. Bye, honey."

As the fives teens finally were allowed to step into the van, Eli leaned over to whisper in Clare's ear. "Did your mom just ask you what I think she asked you?"

Clare turned bright red. "Um…. Yeah."

He laughed, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm honored she likes me so much."

Sav eyed them through the rearview mirror. "Keep the PDA to a minimum guys; we're not out of sight yet."

Alli sighed. "So I guess this means I'll be putting up with their nasty flirting for two months?"

"Don't be sore, Alli." Sav warned her. Think of this as a trip to better yourself, so you can have more fun in college. Stop focusing on the boys, and study for that SAT retake of yours in September. It's another chance for a perfect score."

"Right." Alli grimaced, and Adam laughed. "Don't worry, we're grossed out too." The two of them had been forced into becoming friends partly by accident. Alli, in her shameless scheming, had hoped befriending Drew's unpopular little brother might earn her some points with their mom. It hadn't worked, but she had realized what a very good person Adam was, and that she had an ally whenever she wanted tease the disgustingly adorable couple their best friends made.

Sav smiled. "Next stop, New York!"

**If you have any requests for a stop, just say so! Reviews are wonderful encouragement anyway. :)**

**Anyway, so far the ideas that I'm toying with include...**

**a.) an anime con, since Eli and Adam are comic books fanatics. That and because they're just fun.**

**b.) a music fest. Think Woodstock wannabe.**

**c.) colleges, of course! Sorry if anybody dislikes that idea, but the whole applying and touring thing is kind of on my mind right now. Thought i'd channel it, a bit. XP**

**d.) some OCs that are doing the same thing. For general fun and plot further-ment, as well as possible romantic interests. Maybe.**

**e.) a theme park**

**f.) other stuff! But I'm intending to make this a modern day EPIC, so feel free to input suggestions!**


	2. A Shaky Start

**I know. I'm a horrible person that never updates her stories. Don't you hate people like that? **

**Some things I should address:**

**I started writing this story last August, before Julia, before we knew who Eli's dad was, etcetera, etcetera. Because it's been six months, I can't go back and edit the first chapter, so I'm going to leave the part where I said his dad was a lawyer alone. Mr. Goldsworthy doesn't appear in the story again anyway. As for the Julia trauma, I'm going to work that in. The hoarding problem will also make an appearance somewhere along the line. But for now, here's a short chapter, just to prove I'm still alive.**

"Hey, Eli?" Adam's voice piped up. "I was thinking; what should we name the van?"

The black-garbed boy looked up from his arm, where he had been in the process of doodling some sort of dramatic, tribal tattoo. "Name?"

"You know, like, you have Morty, and Clare has her Felix-"

"Oh, no." Eli interrupted. "Do _not _mention that thing to me."

Clare swatted him. "Don't insult my Felix!"

"He has the stupidest name of all time."

"It means 'happiness' in Latin. And I think you're just upset because you can't take me to school anymore."

As the incessant bickering began, Alli rolled her eyes. "Hey, Adam, I've got the perfect name. Why don't we call it the Shaggin' Wagon in honor of our adorable young lovers."

"Negative." Sav said. "If the rents got wind of it, we'd be dead, and I am not doing anything to risk my stereo."

"It's so perfect though," Adam said wistfully as he turned toward the back, where Eli and Clare were still weathering the waters of sexual tension. They were completely oblivious to the others' conversation. "How long do you think it will be before we catch them in the bathroom?"

Alli snorted. "Three days. Tops. Eli's going to try to be stealthy, but then go crazy from the sheer lack of-"

"Shush." Sav rebuked. "I don't need to hear details. But, for the record, I give it a few hours."

"Hours" Adam inquired. "Why so soon?"

"We're going to Niagara Falls today, remember? They'll get lost in the state park, and we won't know where they are for an hour, till they come back with ruffled clothing, messy hair, and a scarf Clare just hastily purchased."

"Hey!" Clare exploded from the back. "We are NOT going to go out and-"

"Lies." The three in the front said together.

xxx

They were almost to the border when they finally decided on a name. They were travelling cross country in a foreign land, staying in only a place for a few days at most, and sought something from the people they met. What better name could they choose than Gypsy?

Now, all Eli needed was a damn cup of coffee, and he'd e happy. It was almost ten in the morning; he normally wouldn't even be awake now. They'd had to get up close to seven (cruel and unusual punishment), and he hadn't had time to make a pot on the way to Clare's house. If he didn't get a caffeine fix soon, well...

Finally, finally_, finally_ they got to Niagara. There was a Starbucks on the Canadian side, and Eli decided it would be a good opportunity to lose the last of the Canadian dollars in his pockets. So, while everyone was using the bathroom before they crossed the border, he stepped inside the delicious smelling shop.

It looked exactly like every other Starbucks in the world, and Eli didn't pay much attention to his surroundings; he was planning. The next few days were for Alli- she was looking at Cornell and Rochester from a base in Syracuse. Sav wanted to go over what she would say and do in her interiews, which left Clare, Adam and himself to take the cheesy American tour of the falls. There was also a large natural park above them on the American side, so he _might b_e able to convince his beautiful girlfriend to sneak away for some contraband kissing.

Nodding to himself, he ordered two mochas, a latte, and a caramel macchiato in addition to his untampered, pure broth. No reason to not to put everybody in a good mood if he was going to break the rules on the first day.

As he gathered up all the cups and started the perilous trek back toward the Van, he noticed a head of reddish curls moving out of his sight. _Clare?_

He put the coffee on a tale, and started to follow her. Her step was quick and light, her auburn hair shining in the sun and falling over her shoulders.

He blinked. It wasn't his girlfriend. The hair fell unto the girl's back, while Clare's was still shorter. Then he saw that she was also thinner, more muscled, and tanner, like she'd spent far more time on a beach than inside typing on a computer. He'd just followed a stranger.

Cursing, he turned back to his coffee, but every glass was gone from the table, except for that single, pure black cup nobody but him could stand. There went his offering, and with it, all the brownie points he might've gained. There was nothing left to do but go back to the car.

"Eli? Come on, we have to get going! Do you have your passport?" Sav was still playing responsible adult, as if his father was still around to take away everything if he messed up.

"Yeah, yeah." Eli grabbed it from the front pocket of his pack, and sat back down inside. Sighing, he took a long swig of his drink, and relaxed against the seat. From the way thing were going, he had a feeling it was going to be a long day.

**So who is this mysterious doppelganger? Only time will tell! I recently went and saw Black Swan with a few friends, and it put the idea of creating doubles in my head. Not that I intend to have anyody steal Eli from Clare, or have the poor girl go crazy. I'm just setting up the plot, which will only continue to pick up from hear on out. Please Review. It tells me whether an idea sucks or not. **


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